Effects Of Chemical Pollutants Research Articles

Environment in Children's Health: A New Challenge for Risk Assessment.

In the last few years, many studies have focused on the effects of environmental contaminant exposure during the prenatal period or infancy as predictors of health outcomes in the future. In these time windows, due to their rapid growth, and physiologic and metabolic development, we can observe a higher vulnerability to the effects of environment, with respect to adulthood. The evidence of possible influences, partly mediated by epigenetic mechanisms, involve neurobehavioral responses and immune, endocrine, and respiratory systems, acting directly on the child or indirectly when mediated by placental transfer or breast feeding. In particular, due to a greater intake of air, food, and fluids relative to body weight, crawling behaviors and short stature, the risk of excessive exposure is greater in children. However, data on the long-term implications of early exposures are scarce. Additionally, so that physicians and institutions for child care and assistance of pregnant women can take actions to counteract the effects of chemical pollution (i.e., by educational opportunities), a risk assessment perspective that responds to the biocomplexity of the human being is needed. The present paper provides an overview of physiologic and behavioral characteristics during the perinatal period and in childhood, suggesting in a more integrated way, the need of a new risk-assessment approach to managing chronic disease in pediatric patients.

Sorting study on the toxicity screening of a single pollutant towards enterprises based on the USEtox model and textile industry cases

The overuse of chemicals has been causing serious global pollution. Toxicity assessment and screening of chemicals effectively contribute to individualised management and control of toxic and harmful chemicals that are released into the environment. Moreover, they can protect the ecological environment and human health from the effect of these substances. This study is researching for A Textile Company in Suzhou, China, and uses the USEtox consensus model to calculate the toxic effects of pollution emissions on the ecological environment. In addition, the pollutants that should be controlled first are screened and identified through comprehensive analysis of accounting results. Results show that heavy metals are a major source of potential ecotoxicity and pollutants to be prioritised. Considering the total ecotoxicity ranking, category ranking and rankings within categories of pollutants discharged by A company, copper, nickel and manganese in heavy metals; tetrachlorophenol and pentachlorophenol in chlorinated chemicals; and nonylphenol/branched-4-nonylphenol and 4-octylphenol in alkylphenols should be primarily controlled. From the perspective of terminal control, the study puts forward that the objects of corporate environmental management should be transformed from ‘medium management (wastewater, waste gas and waste residue)’ to ‘substance management (chemical)’ and provides empirical evidence for the management and control of toxic and hazardous substances from ‘comprehensive pollutant management’ to ‘single pollutant management’. The research results can provide theoretical basis and practical guidance for scientific decision-making in order to achieve priority management and control of pollutants and reduce the ecotoxic effects of chemical pollutants.

Presumed Exposure to Chemical Pollutants and Experienced Health Impacts among Warehouse Workers at Logistics Companies: A Cross-Sectional Survey.

During intercontinental shipping, freight containers and other closed transport devices are applied. These closed spaces can be polluted with various harmful chemicals that may accumulate in poorly ventilated environments. The major pollutants are residues of pesticides used for fumigation as well as volatile organic compounds (VOCs) released from the goods. While handling cargos at logistics companies, workers can be exposed to these pollutants, frequently without adequate occupational health and safety precautions. A cross-sectional questionnaire survey was conducted among potentially exposed warehouse workers and office workers as controls at Hungarian logistics companies (1) to investigate the health effects of chemical pollutants occurring in closed spaces of transportation and storage and (2) to collect information about the knowledge of and attitude toward workplace chemical exposures as well as the occupational health and safety precautions applied. Pre-existing medical conditions did not show any significant difference between the working groups. Numbness or heaviness in the arms and legs (AOR = 3.99; 95% CI = 1.72–9.26) and dry cough (AOR = 2.32; 95% CI = 1.09–4.93) were significantly associated with working in closed environments of transportation and storage, while forgetfulness (AOR = 0.40; 95% CI = 0.18–0.87), sleep disturbances (AOR = 0.36; 95% CI = 0.17–0.78), and tiredness after waking up (AOR = 0.40; 95% CI = 0.20–0.79) were significantly associated with employment in office. Warehouse workers who completed specific workplace health and safety training had more detailed knowledge related to this workplace chemical issue (AOR = 8.18; 95% CI = 3.47–19.27), and they were significantly more likely to use certain preventive measures. Warehouse workers involved in handling cargos at logistics companies may be exposed to different chemical pollutants, and the related health risks remain unknown if the presence of these chemicals is not recognized. Applied occupational health and safety measures at logistics companies are not adequate enough to manage this chemical safety issue, which warrants awareness raising and the introduction of effective preventive strategies to protect workers’ health at logistics companies.

A global synthesis of the impacts of urbanization on bird dawn choruses

Urbanization drives changes in acoustic communication systems in some animal species. Noise and light pollution are among the main urban factors known to disrupt the timing and structure of avian singing behaviour. Despite our understanding of the ways in which urbanization can drive variations in avian acoustic communication, our ability to generalize the underlying causes of such variation and its consequences is still limited. Here, we reviewed the literature focused on the study of avian dawn choruses in urban settings at a global scale. Our findings reveal that avian dawn chorus research has focused on the impact of anthropogenic noise on dawn chorus traits (i.e. timing, peak, song output, song frequencies); relationships between light pollution and chorus timing; the effects of temperature, cloudiness, moonlight and natural light on chorus timing; relationships between nocturnal noise and light, and dawn chorus timing; the effects of chemical pollution and supplementary feeding on dawn chorus activity; and ecological patterns of dawn choruses in soundscapes across urban–non‐urban gradients. We identified important knowledge gaps in the study of avian dawn choruses in urban settings and thus suggest future research directions, including frameworks (e.g. the urbanization intensity gradient) and consideration of a wider array of urban conditions and variables. Given the complexity of urban settings, we encourage further studies to address the role that all sources of pollution can have on avian acoustic communication at dawn. Additionally, a central question to resolve is whether the function of avian dawn choruses in urban areas differs, and if so how, from non‐urban counterparts. Given that most research has been performed across Holarctic cities and towns, studies from tropical and subtropical regions are needed if we aim to understand the phenomenon globally. Finally, studies at the community‐ and soundscape‐level across cities could advance understanding of the way in which urban birds use the acoustic space during the most critical singing time period, dawn.

Study of the Effect of Chemical Pollution with Coal-Fired Power Plant on the Fish of Lake Kenon (Trans-Baikal Territory, Russia)

Abstract In this study, contamination of potentially toxic elements (Cr, Mn, Cu, Zn, Hg and Pb) and species dominant in the fish community of Lake Kenon – Carassius auratus gibelio (Bloch 1782) and Perca fluviatilis (Linnaeus 1758) – were investigated. Chemical elements in samples were determined by atomic emission spectrometry (iCAP-6500, Thermo Scientific, USA) and mass spectrometry (X-7, Thermo Elemental, USA). It was reported that water in Lake Kenon contained low concentrations of the studied metals. The bottom sediments are enriched with Mn, Zn, Hg and Pb. Bioaccumulation factors of chemical elements accumulated from the surrounding water for P. fluviatus and C. auratus gibelio in descending order are as follows: Zn > Pb > Hg > Cu. P. fluviatus accumulates Hg in equal measure from both water and bottom sediments. Manganese and mercury are accumulated in the muscles of C. auratus gibelio from bottom sediments. The high accumulation ratio of Zn and Hg in C. auratus gibelio was obtained from Chara sp. (24 times) and Chironomus spp. (38 times), respectively. High accumulation ratio of Zn (26 times) and Hg (29 times) in P. fluviatus was obtained from amphipods. At the same time, Hg in P. fluviatus muscles was accumulated at high level from Chironomus spp. (67 times). In this way, management decisions for mitigation practices in Lake Kenon should be focussed on for the disposal of wastewater from the ash dump contaminated with chemical elements.

Control quantity or toxicity of textile chemicals? A case study of denim jeans in the warp-dyeing phase

The extensive use and discharge of chemicals is one of the main factors leading to serious environmental pollution in the textiles and apparel industry. The chemical footprint (ChF) is a toxicity-based chemical management method that is used to quantitatively evaluate the potential toxic effects of chemical pollutants discharged during the production of textiles and apparel products on human health and environmental safety. Compared with the traditional quantity-based method, this method needs to simulate the entire process of chemicals from discharge to impact, involving a series of steps of fate, exposure and effect, which greatly increases the difficulty of modeling. A scientific question is whether it is worth spending so much effort to quantify the toxicity of chemicals. Taking the warp-dyeing phase of denim jeans as an example, this paper calculated the ChFs for both human and ecological toxicities of textile chemicals based on the USEtox model, and compared them with the values of discharge quantities. The results reveal that there is a certain inconsistency between the discharge quantity and toxicity of chemical substances. Relying solely on the amount of chemicals discharged can sometimes lead to misjudgments, emphasizing the importance of controlling the toxicity of chemicals.

Effects of anthropogenic pollution and hydrological variation on macroinvertebrates in Mediterranean rivers: A case-study in the upper Tagus river basin (Spain)

Seasonal hydrological variation and chemical pollution represent two main drivers of freshwater biodiversity change in Mediterranean rivers. We investigated to what extent low flow conditions can modify the effects of chemical pollution on macroinvertebrate communities. To that purpose, we selected twelve sampling sites in the upper Tagus river basin (central Spain) having different sources of chemical pollution and levels of seasonal hydrological variation. The sites were classified as natural (high flow variation, low chemical impact), agricultural (high flow variation, high agricultural chemical inputs) and urban (limited flow variation, high urban chemical inputs). In these sites, we measured daily water discharge, nutrients, and contaminant concentrations, and we sampled benthic macroinvertebrates, in spring, summer and autumn. Significant differences related to toxic pressure and nutrient concentrations were observed between the three groups of sites. Seasonal patterns were found for some water quality parameters (e.g. nitrites, ammonia, suspended solids, metal toxicity), particularly in agricultural sites. Taxonomic and functional richness were slightly lower in the polluted sites (agricultural and urban), particularly during low flow periods (summer and early autumn). Functional diversity was significantly lower in sites with seasonal flow variation (agricultural sites) as compared to the more constant ones (urban sites). The frequency of traits such as large size, asexual reproduction, aquatic passive dispersion and the production of cocoons increased in response to pollution during low flow periods. This study shows that the impacts of anthropogenic chemical pollution on taxonomic and functional characteristics of macroinvertebrate communities seem to be larger during low flow periods. Therefore, further studies and monitoring campaigns assessing the effects of chemical pollution within these periods are recommended.

Effect of Chemical Pollution and Parasitism on Heat Tolerance in Dung Beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeinae)

Ecosystem services provided by insects are threatened by recent increasing global temperatures, particularly in the tropics, where insects live close to their thermal limits. Given that tolerance to high temperatures depends on individual metabolism and physiological stress response, it may also be sensitive to other stressors that are common in natural and human-modified environments, such as pollution and parasite pressure. The effects of multiple stressors could be synergistic and can be particularly relevant in insects that provide highly valuable ecosystem services, such as dung beetles in cattle pastures. Here we measured heat tolerance (critical thermal maximum, CTmax) in dung beetles exposed to ivermectin, a toxic parasiticide excreted in cattle dung, with known negative effects on coprophagous fauna, and in beetles exposed to an immune challenge. We also exposed a group of beetles to a combination of both ivermectin and immune challenge to test for potential synergistic effects of both stressors. Contrary to our predictions, CTmax did not change with ivermectin exposure, but increased in immune-challenged beetles. As found in other insects, CTmax was higher in larger beetles, highlighting the importance of body size on thermal tolerance in ectotherms. We discuss potential mechanisms responsible of increased heat tolerance in immune-challenged beetles and highlight the importance of natural and human-induced environmental pressures that now interact with global warming and threaten ecosystem services provided by wild animals.

Environmental pollutants and marine mammal health: The potential impact of hydrocarbons and halogenated hydrocarbons on immune system dysfunction

This paper provides a detailed review of the immunotoxicological effects of environmental pollutants on the health of marine mammals, particularly in relation to their impact on the immune system and mechanisms of toxicity. Environmental pollutants are increasingly implicated (both directly and indirectly) with the onset of infectious disease and related mortality incidents in marine mammals,. The release of chemicals into the marine environment and the subsequent bioaccumulation up the food chain may pose a serious threat to marine mammals inhabiting contaminated areas; this has been documented in various studies of pollutant concentrations in tissue samples and large scale mass mortalities. Data correlating pollutant residues with altered reproductive/developmental states, and immune system dysfunction in particular, are reported for terrestrial mammals and suggest a similar association in marine mammals. Immunology is emphasised as a tool for assessing marine mammal health using quantitative and qualitative techniques to establish the effects of chemical pollutants. This has become increasingly important in relation to the subsequent dangers that may be posed to humans through any indirect exposure via the food chain.

Ecological Risk Dynamics of Pharmaceuticals in Micro-Estuary Environments.

Micro-estuarine ecosystems have a surface area <1 km2 and are abundant in Mediterranean regions. As a result of their small size, these systems are particularly vulnerable to the effects of chemical pollution. Due to the fluctuating flow conditions of base flow dominated by treated wastewater effluents and flood events transporting rural and urban non-point-source pollution, micro-estuaries are under a dynamic risk regime, consequently struggling to provide ecological services. This 2 year study explored the occurrence and risks of pharmaceutical contamination in the Alexander micro-estuary in Israel. Pharmaceuticals were detected in all samples (n = 280) at as high as 18 μg L-1 in flood events and 14 μg L-1 in base flow. The pharmaceutical mixture composition was affected by flow conditions with carbamazepine dominating the base flow and caffeine dominating flood events. The median annual risk quotients for fish, crustaceans, and algae were 19.6, 5.2, and 4.5, respectively, indicating that pharmaceuticals pose a high risk to the ecosystem. Ibuprofen, carbamazepine, and caffeine contributed most to the risk quotients. The current work highlights that micro-estuary ecosystems, like the Alexander estuary, are continuously exposed to pharmaceuticals and most likely to other pollutants, placing these ecologically important systems under an elevated risk in comparison to the more frequently studied large estuarine systems.

Common patterns of functional and biotic indices in response to multiple stressors in marine harbours ecosystems

Evaluating the effects of anthropogenic pressure on the marine environment is one of the focal objectives in identifying strategies for its use, conservation and restoration. In this paper, we assessed the effects of chemical pollutants, grain size and plastic litter on functional traits, biodiversity and biotic indices. The study was conducted on the benthic communities of three harbours in the central Mediterranean Sea: Malta, Augusta and Syracuse, subjected to different levels of anthropogenic stress (high, medium and low, respectively). Six traits were considered, subdivided into 22 categories: reproductive frequency, environmental position, mobility, life habit, feeding habit and bioturbation. Functional diversity indices analysed were: Functional Divergence, Quadratic Entropy, Functional Evenness and Functional Richness. To assess the trait responses to environmental gradients, we applied RLQ analysis, which considers simultaneously the relationship between three components: environmental data (R), species abundances (L) and species traits (Q). From our analyses, significant relationships (P-value = 0.0018 for permutation of samples, and P-value = 0.00027 for permutation of species) between functional traits and environmental data were highlighted. The trait categories significantly influenced by environmental variables were those representing feeding habits and mobility. In particular, the first category was influenced by chemical pollutants (organotin compounds and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) and grain size (silt and sand), while the latter category was influenced only by chemical pollutants.Pearson correlations performed for functional vs biotic and diversity indices confirmed the validity of the chosen conceptual framework for harbour environments. Finally, linear models assessing the influence of stressors on functional parameters underlined the link between environmental data vs benthic and functional indices. Our results highlight the fact that functional trait analysis provides a useful and fast method for detecting in greater depth the effects of multiple stressors on functional diversity in marine ecosystems.

CURRENT TRENDS IN AIR POLLUTION AND LIFE EXPECTANCY IN THE REPUBLIC OF KARELIA

The article assesses the risk of exposure to athmospheric pollution on the life expectancy at birth and mortality in the Republic of Karelia. Special focus is on the long-term (1996–2016) variation of pollutant emissions from fixed sources and the statistically related to it change in the rate of mortality from external causes. Thus, the number of suicides and murders in the period studied decreased simultaneously with a decrease in the emissions of solid particles (r = 0.92 and 0.89, respectively), CO (0.92 and 0.88), SO2 (0.77 and 0.72), etc. Such dependencies are consistent with available publications on the effect of chemical pollution on suicidal and aggressive human behavior, as well as the general trend of the effect of emitted solids on the number of crimes associated with violent actions against victims in the Northwest Federal District. The health hazard of exposure to dust-like particles is shown. Their concentration in urban air increases after the snow cover had thawed, especially in the case of a deficit of spring precipitation. Dust particles have partially acute-angled shapes and an elevated content of heavy metals (W, Cu,V, Co, Zn, Ni, Mn, Sb, Sn, Cr, Mo) compared to urban soils. The data presented in this article and their analysis are important for the continuation of research aimed at assessing environmental risks and reducing the negative impact of chemical pollution on human health and behavior.

Chemical characterization and phytotoxicity assessment of peri-urban soils using seed germination and root elongation tests.

The peri-urban soil is exposed to pollutants because of its proximity to the city, which may influence the quality of agricultural products. In this study, the occurrence of 16 trace elements (TEs), 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and 33 contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) was analyzed in two soil sites of the peri-urban area of Barcelona (Spain) (S2 and S3) and a pristine site (S1). Levels of Pb (S2 164 and S3 150 mg kg-1) are around 2.5 times higher than the guideline values. Values for Cu (178 mg kg-1) in S2 are 1.8-fold higher, whereas for Zn, levels are slightly above the threshold in S2 (208 mg kg-1) and S3 (217 mg kg-1). The total concentrations of PAHs are significantly below the limits: 24 ng g-1 dw (S1), 38 ng g-1 dw (S2), 49 ng g-1 dw (S3), whereas only some CECs are detected with low concentrations. We also developed a simple and rapid method to assess soil pollution. Here, we use two plant growth indexes (seed germination rate and root elongation at the initial stage) of three seeds (lettuce, tomato, and cauliflower) to assess soil chemical contamination on agriculture. In the peri-urban soil, the concentration of Pb was 2.5 times higher than the guideline values, whereas for Cu and Zn, values were slightly above their limits, while only few PAHs and CECs were detected. Results for principal component analysis suggest that root elongation is a more sensitive measurement endpoint than germination rate, especially for lettuce. The germination rate of tomato relied on the nitrate in the soil and decreased sharply in the site with pollution of Cu and As. Under the specific conditions of this study, cauliflower should not be recommended to assess environmental pollution due to its low sensitivity to pollutants. In conclusion, this is a low-cost, simple, and rapid method for evaluating the effects of chemical pollution of agriculture soils on seed growth.

Effects of chemical pollutants on reproductive and developmental processes in Italian amphibians.

It is a widely held belief that environmental contaminants contribute to the decline of amphibian populations. By spending most of their early life in water and later stages on the land, amphibians face a constant risk of exposure to pesticides and other chemical pollutants in both aquatic and terrestrial environments. This review presents an overview of the studies carried out in Italian amphibians to highlight hazardous effects of bioaccumulation of chemical pollutants in juveniles and adults in various contaminated environments. Further, the studies in the laboratory setting assessing the effects of chemical pollutants on reproductive and developmental processes are reported. These studies and their relative references have been summarized in a tabular form. Three prominent contaminant groups were identified: herbicides, insecticides, and fungicides; and only a few works reported the effects of other chemical pollutants. Each pollutant group has been delegated to a section. All through the literature survey, it is seen that interest in this topic in Italy is very recent and sparse, where only a few anuran and caudata species and only some chemical pollutants have been studied.

Dietary acrylamide exposure from traditional food products in Lesser Poland and associated risk assessment.

Acrylamide (AA) is a carcinogenic and genotoxic food contaminant occurring in carbohydrate-rich foods produced at high cooking temperatures. The aim of the study was to determine the importance of AA exposure with respect to traditional food and to assess the associated risks. 165 food samples were collected from local markets in Lesser Poland. The participants enrolled in the study were 500 residents: (males - 179, females - 321) who had purchased food from local markets. Exposure of the participants to AA was assessed by combining the analytical AA results with data on the individual consumption of traditional foods. Risk assessment of AA exposure from traditional foods was estimated and the margin of exposure (MOE) values were calculated. The highest mean AA level was measured in pretzels (92 µg kg -1), followed by bagels (74.81 µg kg-1) and pork paté (59.56 µg kg-1). The average and 95th percentile values of AA exposure were 0.213 and 0.458 [µg kg-1 body weight (BW) day-1]. The calculated values of MOE for the average [798 and 2,019 for both benchmark dose lower confidence limit (BMDL) 0.17 and 0.43 mg kg-1 BW day-1] and 95th percentile AA exposure values (371 and 939 for both BMDL 0.17and 0.43 mg kg -1 BW day-1) suggest that there is a health concern with respect to adult residents. The results of the study confirm the general recommendation to the consumers, especially certain population groups, to eat a balanced healthy diet and to limit the amount of baked cereal products and fried products.

Environmental DNA Shaping a New Era of Ecotoxicological Research.

Aquatic ecosystems, such as rivers and lakes, are exposed to multiple stressors from anthropogenic activity and changes in climate, which have resulted in a general decrease in biodiversity, alteration of community structures, and can ultimately result in reduction of resources provided by natural ecosystems. Adverse outcomes caused by pollutants to ecosystems are determined not only by toxic properties but also ecological contexts of ecosystems, including indigenous biodiversity and community composition. It is therefore important to identify key factors, such as diversity of species and traits that determine the vulnerability of structures and functions of ecosystems in response to toxic substances. Detection and quantification of biodiversity and its activities using environmental DNA (eDNA) is arguably one of the most important technical advances in ecology in recent years. A huge opportunity has appeared to allow more relevant approaches for assessments of risks posed to ecosystems by toxic substances. eDNA approaches provide effective and efficient tools to evaluate the effects of chemical pollutants on (1) the occurrences and population of wildlife, (2) communities, and (3) the function of ecosystem in the field. Here a conceptual framework of adverse outcome pathways to relate molecular initiating events to apical ecosystem-level responses is proposed to connecting laboratory-based prediction to observations under field conditions. Particularly, future research opportunities on effects on biodiversity, community structure, and ecosystem function by toxic substances will be discussed.

SPATIAL MODELING OF MORTALITY AND AIR CONTAMINATION IN THE REPUBLIC OF BASHKORTOSTAN

The aim of the was to study quantitative effects of chemical pollution of atmospheric air by gaseous, liquid, solid substances on the overall population mortality in the Republic of Bashkortostan using mathematical models with spatial lags. Methods. The data were obtained from the official statistics from the Territorial Body of the Federal State Statistics Service for the Republic of Bashkortostan (table C 51 "Distribution of deceased by sex, age groups and causes of death"). The data from 54 municipalities and 21 towns of Bashkortostan from 2002 to 2015 were analysed. Spatial regression methods were applied. Moran and Geary coefficients were used to estimate the presence of spatial autocorrelation links; Spatial autoregressive (SAR) models were used to estimate the effect of emissions on mortality rates. Results. The best fit was provided by the SAR model, according to which, an increase in the number of emissions per 1 ton in a municipality is associated with an increase in the mortality for men by 2,33 cases per 1000. The corresponding data for the total population was 2,02 cases per 1000. However, according to the spatial lag (SDM model), no statistically significant effects on mortality was detected. Conclusion. Results of spatial modeling are in line with the findings on direct associations between gaseous and liquid emissions and total mortality and mortality among men in the same municipality. At the same time, we did not find the evidence indirect spatial influence on mortality.

Physicochemical Properties of Chemical Pollutants Available in Food Contact Materials (FCM)

Health and welfare of population are priority reasons to study the toxic effects of chemical pollutants. These effects can directly produce deterioration of health or can cause less healthful environment toxicity and restricting food production. Thereby, preventing such a consequence is important for human health risk assessment. In recent times, the use of recycled materials for packaging has undeniably been intensified. Nevertheless, recycling systems could not effectively eliminate the potential effect of chemical pollutants (alkyl phenol, phthalates, aldehydes, etc.) existent in such packages. The migration process and/or the ability of these pollutants to be absorbed into the recycled material, subsequently released by the packaging material, and then trapped by the matrices they contain, has become a potential source of exposure to consumers. This process is controlled by the nature of the packaging, time, temperature, and the physicochemical properties of the contaminant. The literature suffers from a lack of data related to the physicochemical (aqueous solubility, vapor pressure, Henry’s constant, etc...) of these contaminants. In this work, we are going to describe the experimental devices used for aqueous solubility, vapor pressure and octanol/water partition coefficient determination.

Tunnel vision in current chemicals management cannot deal with the unknown risk of synthetic chemicals in aquatic systems

Abstract Chemicals management is focused around the hazard, exposure and risk assessment of single chemicals. This is a slow process which cannot keep pace with chemical innovation and development of use. Environmental monitoring focuses on few, and well-known, chemicals. As a consequence, the majority of all chemicals emitted to the aquatic environment remain unstudied, and so does their risk. We conclude that to understand how chemical pollution affects aquatic ecosystems, requires reformation of current chemicals management, moving away from the single chemical approach. It requires increased transparency regarding chemical content in materials, products and articles, and importantly, a management system that covers different aspects of the many unknowns related to chemical pollution of aquatic systems. This implies for instance, environmental monitoring that screens for a wide range of chemicals and effects, and that is able to detect more unexpected effects of chemical pollution than what is possible today.

Analysis for Effect of Chemical Pollutants on Wetland Ecology

Wetlands play an important role in maintaining ecological balance and promoting the development of surrounding economy. Chemical pollutants in industrial wastewater cause serious damage to the wetland ecosystem. For this, taking the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), one typical chemical organic pollutant in industrial wastewater as examples, this paper studies the effects of PAH on plants and microorganisms in wetlands. Then, the experimental simulation was conducted to study the degradation and absorption effects of wetland soil sediments and wetland plant (Spartina alterniflora) on PAHs, and also analyse the effects of PAHs on total biomass and microbial active enzymes in wetlands. The results show that the wetland ecosystem has significant absorption and degradation effects on chemical pollutants. The average removal rate of PHE is 26%, and the average removal rate of PYR is 20%; the content of PHE and PYR in leaves of Spartina alterniflora (S. alterniflora) is much smaller than that of root system, indicating that the root system of S. alterniflora is the main part of absorbing PAHs. PAHs pollution will cause serious damage to the distribution and content of microorganisms in the wetland. PHE causes the microbial content in the leaves of S. alterniflora to decrease by more than 35%, while PYR causes it to decrease by more than 26%. The plant-microbial combined treatment system in the wetland system can resist the harmful effects of chemical pollutants to a certain extent, and the bacteria in the plant roots are more sensitive to the response of chemical pollutants. This can provide a new research idea for the microbe-plant joint degradation of chemical pollutants in wetland ecosystems.